NAFA Regular Member Dave Schiller, CAFM^®, Retires From Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Dave Schiller, CAFM, Fleet and Materials Manager with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR), has retired after 43 years with the agency, 20 of which were as fleet manager.  Schiller joined MNDNR in 1975, first working with the Forestry Division, then in State Parks. He became the Field Service Operations Manager (a combined fleet and facilities role) in 1992, and finally the Fleet Manager in 2002.

Schiller oversaw a fleet of 5,000 assets: 1,800 road units, 1,600 trailers, and 1,600 off-road equipment. He managed everything from ATVs to Class 8 trucks, and seemed to have at least one of every type of vehicle in his fleet. The MNDNR fleet is used to manage the natural resources across the state, from clean water, hunting land, state parks, forest land, and game and fish law enforcement.

In the last 20 years, Schiller was instrumental in leading the move toward a safer, cleaner fleet. Equipment lifecycles were established, reducing maintenance costs. Vehicle selector lists were used to direct users to the most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly vehicles available. These efforts resulted in a 25 percent reduction in gallons of fuel consumed over the past 10 years. The fleet was named one of the 100 Best Fleets in 2008, and will be on this year’s list of the Top 50 Green Fleets, awarded by Tom Johnson and the 100 Best Fleets program.

Schiller said he intends to use his well-earned retirement time going fishing, spending time with his kids and grandkids, and sending fewer emails.

NAFA congratulates Dave Schiller on the occasion of his retirement and thanks him for his dedication to the fleet and mobility profession.